Hello and goodbye Frank Trigg [update: Trigg to get another chance]

speeds · Sep 21, 2009

The UFC was less than thrilled with Trigg's performance on Saturday and it looks as if the veteran fighter won't be offered another bout under the UFC banner. And if that is the case, Trigg plans on retiring, per his own words:

With UFC planning to terminate contract, Frank Trigg says retirement is imminent

After waiting more than four years to make his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, veteran fighter Frank Trigg will probably be dropped from the organization once again. And if that's the case, he's likely to retire from the sport.

Trigg, a former top UFC welterweight contender, suffered a first-round TKO loss to Josh Koscheck on the main card of this past weekend's UFC 103 event in Dallas.

Following the Sept. 19 event, UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Trigg probably won't get another fight in the organization. If that's the case, Trigg today said, his career is likely over.

"I think Trigg is one of those guys (like Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic)," White said after the conclusion of the UFC 103 post-fight press conference. "These (other) guys are young and explosive. There's just a whole other level of talent out there, man, and that's the way it works. That's the way this business is."

So, will he give it some thought before terminating the contract?

"I doubt it," White shrugged. "He got smoked tonight."

Trigg (19-7 MMA, 2-4 UFC), who suffered two title losses to then-champ UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes in his first UFC run, posted a 7-3 record after leaving the organization in 2005 and posted four straight victories to earn his way back. During the time away, Trigg defeated notables Jason "Mayhem" Miller for the ICON Sport middleweight title and topped Kazuo Misaki at PRIDE 33, among other victories.

His UFC 103 appearance proved a short one, though. Koscheck connected and dropped Trigg early and delivered additional blows to force the stoppage at the 1:25 mark of the first round.

"I made a stupid mistake," Trigg said. "I stood on his foot in the corner, and I got caught with a punch."

If White does go through with his plans to cut Trigg, the 37-year-old fighter said his career has likely concluded.

"If they say I'm done, I'm done," he said. "If the UFC cuts me, I'm done fighting. I don't have the strength or determination to go fight in the minor leagues anymore. I've done it before.

"I didn't come back here for one fight ... so I could say I retired as a UFC fighter. I came back to make a run at a title fight. I want to fight. But if they're done with me, that's it."

Trigg, however, is unlikely to leave the sport altogether.

Even while fighting professionally, the former University of Oklahoma All-American wrestler has been involved in other projects, including commentary for a variety of MMA events, hosting duties for FSN's PRIDE highlights show, a budding movie career (with a role in David Mamet's martial-arts movie "Red Belt"), his Triggonomics clothing line, and former hosting duties for TAGG Radio, which eventually became MMAjunkie.com Radio shortly before he left the show earlier this year.
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DennisRodman · Sep 21, 2009

Re: Hello and goodbye Frank Trigg

Yea, I just read this on sherdog.

Seriously, Kos is a top WW. He didn't lose to some low level guy.

If they actually cut him after 1 fight, I'll be disappointed. (Look at Baroni he went 8-6 since being in the UFC and is getting a shot, Trigg went 7-2 outside the UFC he at least deserves a couple of fights)

speeds · Sep 22, 2009

Re: Hello and goodbye Frank Trigg

http://mmajunkie.com/news/16272/cha...-not-cut-after-all-will-get-another-fight.mma

Maybe it was a change of plans. Or a change of heart. Or simply a matter of the Ultimate Fighting Championship again listening to what the fans overwhelmingly wanted.

Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: Frank Trigg will get another UFC fight.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported on Monday, UFC president Dana White on Saturday suggested Trigg would be dropped by the organization following his weekend UFC 103 loss to Josh Koscheck in Dallas. But on Monday, the veteran fighter learned he'll get another UFC fight.

"They said I'll get one more shot, another fight, to prove I belong here," Trigg told MMAjunkie.com. "If I win, they've got to keep me around. If I lose and it's back-to-back losses, they'll probably drop me, rightfully so."

After a four-year absence from the organization, Trigg posted a 7-3 record (including a 4-1 mark after dropping to welterweight) in outside organizations to earn his way back. However, he faced a stern test in that first fight back when he took on Koscheck, a fighter widely regarded as one of the 170-pound division's best.

In their main-card bout on the UFC 103 pay-per-view broadcast, Koscheck caught Trigg with a right hand early in the fight, and the former University of Oklahoma All-American wrestler was tagged with the TKO stoppage loss seconds later.

"No disrespect to Koscheck, but the fight only went a minute (and) 40 (seconds), and he only got in one good shot," Trigg said. "In my mind, nothing really happened. I got caught. We could fight again, and I think it would be an entirely different outcome."

Trigg was first notified of White's post-fight comments when contacted by MMAjunkie.com on Monday, and he said he was surprised for a few different reasons.

"My understanding when I signed my deal – well, at first, they offered me a fight with Johny Hendricks," Trigg said. "But I didn't want that fight because I know Johny and used to train him. A couple weeks later, they offered me Josh Koscheck. They said, 'We gave Josh a couple options, and he chose you too.'

Based on skill level and the fact that Hendricks is still fairly new to the MMA game, that fight would have been an easier one for Trigg. But after being told he wouldn't be dropped if he lost to Koscheck, Trigg said he was willing to take the fight.

"They basically said, 'If you lose, we have to keep you for one more fight since Josh is a top-five guy and it's such a tough fight," he said. "That's why I was so surprised that Dana said that I was being cut."

Now with the reprieve, though, Trigg is looking ahead to his next fight. The former ICON Sport middleweight champ said he prefers a bout sooner rather than later. He would like to fight in his hometown of Las Vegas, which hosts UFC cards in December and January. And he'd be ready for either since he'll be back in the gym and training on Monday, he said.

If not one of those cards, though, Trigg said he'd love to compete on a rumored February 2010 event in Australia, which would mark the UFC's debut on the continent.

"I've never been there," he said. "If that card comes to fruition, that'd be a great one."

Trigg also wanted to clarify comments he made in our first report. The 37-year-old fighter said that if the UFC drops him, he'd likely retire from the sport because he doesn't want to fight in MMA's minor leagues again. Although some fans took that to mean he's ready to retire now, Trigg said that's not the case.

"I'm ready to fight, and I want to fight," he said. "But I just want to fight in the UFC."
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DennisRodman · Sep 22, 2009

I was gonna bump this to say the change, but 4 minutes slow.

Anyway, that sounds fair.

Mamba · Sep 22, 2009

If it is anything like his performance this past weekend, he can punch his meal ticket out.

Chocolove · Sep 22, 2009

Give him Kampmann.

ktrulez · Sep 22, 2009

trigg should go down to 155 if he can.. and fight sherk..

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Hello and goodbye Frank Trigg [update: Trigg to get another chance]

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Hello and goodbye Frank Trigg [update: Trigg to get another chance]

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speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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ktrulez blessed era

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